Smith's Food and Drug

If you live in a big city, you gauge your age by the changing real estate. As a kid and then as a teenager, I saw Shea Stadium and Giant Stadium being built. Both are now memories. Driving a New York City cab in the early ’80s, I rarely got a fare to Williamsburg and, when I did, I quickly turned around and headed back to Manhattan over the Williamsburg Bridge.

Russ Dispense, president of the King Soopers division of The Kroger Co., plans to retire on July 1 after 51 years with the company.

Dispense began his career with Kroger in 1965, when he joined King Soopers as a courtesy clerk. He served in various leadership positions in stores and district management through the years, as well as at warehouses, manufacturing plants and administrative offices. Dispense was promoted to VP of retail operations and merchandising for the King Soopers division in 1983. He also served as VP of real estate.

Kroger showed its tendency to promote longtime executives to key senior leadership roles again with the naming of a 32 year veteran to serve as president of its 138 store Smith’s division based in Salt Lake City.
 
Kenny Kimball was elevated to the role of president of Smith’s after previously serving as VP of operations. Kimball joined Smith’s in 1984 as a courtesy clerk and succeeds Jay Cummins who announced his retirement in February. Kimball assumes his new responsibilities April 30.
 

Kroger showed its tendency to promote longtime executives to key senior leadership roles again with the naming of a 32 year veteran to serve as president of its 138 store Smith’s division based in Salt Lake City.

Kenny Kimball was elevated to the role of president of Smith’s after previously serving as VP of operations. Kimball joined Smith’s in 1984 as a courtesy clerk and succeeds Jay Cummins who announced his retirement in February. Kimball assumes his new responsibilities April 30.